Periodic Reporting for period 1 - SEAWave (Scientific-Based Exposure and Risk Assessment of Radiofrequency and mm-Wave Systems from children to elderly (5G and Beyond))
Période du rapport: 2022-06-01 au 2023-11-30
The pervasiveness and socioeconomic dependence on wireless technology has steadily increased over the last three decades. Currently, the fifth generation (5G) New Radio (NR) cellular system is being deployed to unlock the potential of new applications that require the connection of many more devices (Internet of Things), higher data rates and low latency (autonomous driving, 'Factory of the Future'). The new cellular system operates in two frequency bands, 5G NR FR1 and 5G NR FR2. The latter frequency band lies in the millimetre wave range. At millimetre waves, the penetration of the electromagnetic radiation is very shallow, making the skin the main organ where it is absorbed. Unfortunately, little is known about the potential health effects of this radiation to the skin. However, short wavelengths are not the only technological innovation of 5G systems. The use of antennas that change dynamically their radiation pattern to serve multiple subscribers faster poses several challenges to the established calculation and measurement techniques used to assess population exposure and electromagnetic environment monitoring.
Project SEAWave (seawave-project.eu) will
(i) quantify the differences in exposure patterns between 2G-4G and 5G for the entire population including children,
(ii) provide new tools and instruments for reliable exposure evaluation of base stations, local networks in factories, and end-user devices,
(iii) provide the means to minimise exposure,
(iv) generate important new scientific data with its complimentary in vitro, animal and human studies for assessing the health risk from exposure to the new frequency bands (FR2), especially with regard to the potential (co-)carcinogenicity of skin exposure, and
(v) assess public perception of 5G and provide the knowledge and tools for effective health risk communication and dissemination to various stakeholders.
To achieve these ambitious objectives, the interdisciplinary consortium of SEAWave consists of highly experienced partners with world leading expertise in medicine, biology, engineering, physics and psychology, ideally complementing each other to achieve maximum impact. European citizens, workers, national public health authorities, European Commission services, regulators, and standardisation bodies will all benefit from the SEAWave results as they will support science-based decisions and policies for the safe deployment and use of 5G and future wireless networks.
Project SEAWave (seawave-project.eu) will
(i) quantify the differences in exposure patterns between 2G-4G and 5G for the entire population including children,
(ii) provide new tools and instruments for reliable exposure evaluation of base stations, local networks in factories, and end-user devices,
(iii) provide the means to minimise exposure,
(iv) generate important new scientific data with its complimentary in vitro, animal and human studies for assessing the health risk from exposure to the new frequency bands (FR2), especially with regard to the potential (co-)carcinogenicity of skin exposure, and
(v) assess public perception of 5G and provide the knowledge and tools for effective health risk communication and dissemination to various stakeholders.
To achieve these ambitious objectives, the interdisciplinary consortium of SEAWave consists of highly experienced partners with world leading expertise in medicine, biology, engineering, physics and psychology, ideally complementing each other to achieve maximum impact. European citizens, workers, national public health authorities, European Commission services, regulators, and standardisation bodies will all benefit from the SEAWave results as they will support science-based decisions and policies for the safe deployment and use of 5G and future wireless networks.
In order to study the evolution of population exposure to environmental electromagnetic fields SEAWave partners have collected publicly available data from environmental monitoring networks around Europe. They have managed to establish with the proper analysis, a historical perspective of the changes in the electromagnetic environment due to the introduction of new generations of cellular networks. Moreover, measurement campaigns of the electromagnetic radiation emitted by wireless devices and network infrastructure (antennas) have been launched in six European countries, using state-of-the-art measurement protocols and equipment. New artificial intelligence (AI) models were created to help with the prediction of the electromagnetic radiation distribution in urban areas using the data from drive-test measurements. One SEAWave partner has developed a low-cost measuring device that can register electromagnetic fields from all generations of currently deployed cellular networks in Europe (2G/3G/4G/5G FR1) and become a sensor node in an environmental monitoring network.
A prototype module for measuring the newly introduced dosimetric quantity of absorbed power density by wireless devices has been constructed and integrated in a commercial system, providing new possibilities in compliance testing of such devices.
With regard to bioelectromagnetic experiments and health risk studies, new exposure systems have been designed ab initio and constructed with off-the-shelf components to expose cellular lines, mice and human volunteers with millimetre wave radiation, specifically 5G NRFR2 signals. The exposure setups are fully characterized in terms of dosimetry and comply with all the specifications necessary to achieve robust results and document causality; of particular interest is the new approach of individualized dosimetry taken for the SEAWave-Clin clinical study.
Finally, work on public perception of 5G systems and the exposure to them has already begun and will continue with online surveys of several thousands of participants in ten European countries.
A prototype module for measuring the newly introduced dosimetric quantity of absorbed power density by wireless devices has been constructed and integrated in a commercial system, providing new possibilities in compliance testing of such devices.
With regard to bioelectromagnetic experiments and health risk studies, new exposure systems have been designed ab initio and constructed with off-the-shelf components to expose cellular lines, mice and human volunteers with millimetre wave radiation, specifically 5G NRFR2 signals. The exposure setups are fully characterized in terms of dosimetry and comply with all the specifications necessary to achieve robust results and document causality; of particular interest is the new approach of individualized dosimetry taken for the SEAWave-Clin clinical study.
Finally, work on public perception of 5G systems and the exposure to them has already begun and will continue with online surveys of several thousands of participants in ten European countries.
The introduction of an artificial intelligence (AI) model to predict the exposure in urban areas is a novel approach to exploiting extensive drive-test field measurements that are already being conducted for network performance evaluation.
The new probe and phantom developed within the project, which can be used to measure absorbed power density of wireless devices in a conservative manner (covering all ages from children to adults) is an accomplishment that will help standardization bodies introduce new procedures for compliance testing and market authorisation of consumer devices.
The design, construction and full characterization (in terms of dosimetry) of setups for exposing cells, mice and humans to millimetre wave radiation is a result that goes beyond the start-of-the-art and will set the standard specifications for experimental setups in this frequency range.
The methodology that allows for individualized dosimetry of human skin exposed to millimetre wave radiation using advanced medical imaging (optical coherent tomography) is proposed for the first time in a clinical study and will probably set the paradigm in dosimetry of human skin.
The first qualitative results of citizens’ perception of 5G systems exposure is certainly a significant new result that can lead to the design of wide surveys on the subject.
The new probe and phantom developed within the project, which can be used to measure absorbed power density of wireless devices in a conservative manner (covering all ages from children to adults) is an accomplishment that will help standardization bodies introduce new procedures for compliance testing and market authorisation of consumer devices.
The design, construction and full characterization (in terms of dosimetry) of setups for exposing cells, mice and humans to millimetre wave radiation is a result that goes beyond the start-of-the-art and will set the standard specifications for experimental setups in this frequency range.
The methodology that allows for individualized dosimetry of human skin exposed to millimetre wave radiation using advanced medical imaging (optical coherent tomography) is proposed for the first time in a clinical study and will probably set the paradigm in dosimetry of human skin.
The first qualitative results of citizens’ perception of 5G systems exposure is certainly a significant new result that can lead to the design of wide surveys on the subject.